Palliser's first new restaurant concept in 60 years
CALGARY — The venerable Fairmont Palliser hotel has launched a new restaurant concept, the Hawthorn Dining Room and Bar, with decor described as "modern vintage" with a lobby bar revival.

Saskatoon's largest hotel rebrands as a Delta
SASKATOON — Marriott International has announced the rebranding and opening of the Delta Hotels Saskatoon Downtown. The 291-room property is the largest in Saskatoon.

Choice Hotels Canada ends 2018 with three hotel openings
MISSISSAUGA — Choice Hotels Canada is pleased to share it opened three new hotels in the fourth quarter of 2018, with another eight anticipated for the first quarter of 2019.

Vancouver's bull market and prairie recovery
VANCOUVER — Wall Street has its bull and ⁦Vancouver has its bear (and cub), in front of the JW Marriott Parq Hotel. The Vancouver hotel market is anything but bearish as hoteliers found out at WCLC, held there Nov. 19 and 20.

COMMENT: The dual brand with extended stay
I never intended to have this edition of Canadian Lodging e-News become the dual-brand extended stay edition — but as the stories that follow show, some major players are looking at this phenomenon in a variety of market segments.

Canada tops 100 Holiday Inn Express hotels
TORONTO – IHG now has more than 100 Holiday Inn Express hotels in Canada — 103 to be exact — not only is it the largest IHG brand in Canada, but IHG now the brand from coast to coast — St. John’s, N.L. to Victoria, B.C.”

New concept for Canmore: Basecamp Resorts
CANMORE, Alta. — Three new hotels have opened in Canmore under the umbrella of Basecamp Resorts. Owner, Sky McLean, wanted to cater to a new generation of travellers that are flocking to Canmore.

New Prototype for Hampton by Hilton
With the new Hampton prototype, Hilton recognized an opportunity to leverage the latest architectural trends and construction materials, and explore cost-saving options. Shruti Gandhi Buckley outlines the changes in this Q&A article.

Hyatt plans to add 12 new hotels by 2020
TORONTO — Three years ago Hyatt had just five properties in Canada. Today it has nine. Now the company has announced that it will have 21 hotels in Canada by the end of 2020, all Hyatt House or Hyatt Place brands.

OPENINGS SALES AND RENOS Update March 20, 2018
First Sutton Place in Atlantic Canada in Halifax's Nova Centre. New build Comfort Suites for Napanee breaks ground. Courtyard by Marriott Prince George to open this spring.

OPENINGS, SALES AND RENOS as of Jan. 23, 2018
Three new hotels for Choice bringing total to 329. Pangea Pod Hotel to open in Whistler this spring. Comfort opens more than a hotel a week in 2017. Country Inns & Suites changes its name. IHG plans a dozen new Canadian hotels in 2018.

It's TRU! Hilton's 'zest for life' brand arrives in Canada
MCLEAN, Va. — Tru by Hilton is expanding its development footprint to Canada. The first Tru comes to Edmonton in 2018, followed by Markham and Kingston, Ont. in 2019.

Twice burned Microtel opens in Fort Mac
CALGARY — It burned down twice, but the Microtel Inn & Suites, a new Canadian prototypical hotel, has now opened in Fort McMurray, Alta. The brand also opened in Aurora, Ont. late last month and plans two more openings next year.

Days Inn continues its Canadian expansion
TORONTO — Hot on the heels of openings in 100 Mile House, B.C. and Leduc, Alta., Realstar Hospitality has announced a Days Inn location across from Alberta’s largest mall – Crossiron Mills.

Making your lodgings as efficient as possible
VANCOUVER — The Cottages on Salt Spring Island, which opened June 1, have the most efficient staffing solution ever, just one guest services person and housekeeping staff, says Steve Bowers of Intuitive Hospitality.

Choice adds 5 properties in Q1
TORONTO — Franchisor Choice Hotels Canada opened five hotels during the first quarter of 2016, increasing the total number of properties in the system to 327, it was announced April 17.

Ricky's urban concept works for hotels
VANCOUVER — The Ricky’s Group of Family Style Restaurants has gone urban with a new concept called Ricky’s Café that has just opened in the SOLO District in Burnaby, B.C., and in Red Deer, Alta.

Two Hyatt Places to open in Edmonton
EDMONTON — Canada's first Hyatt Place has opened in downtown Edmonton, and a second is on the way to West Edmonton. This is the first new hotel to open in the city's downtown since 1974.

Dual brand U of S hotel to provide a mix of services
SASKATOON — P.R. Hotels Ltd. and University of Saskatchewan broke ground for a new, nine-storey hotel development that will provide an exciting mix of services for the university and surrounding community.

Renamed Coast Coal Harbour has Japanese style
VANCOUVER—The Coast Coal Harbour has a new name now that it is the first APA branded hotel in Canada with amenities like Japanese bidets, 55-inch flatscreen TVs and welcoming origami cranes.

Choice adds three properties in Q2
TORONTO — Choice Hotels Canada opened three Quality hotels during the second quarter of 2016, growing the total number of properties in the system to 318, it was announced July 14.

Trendsetting in competitive Winnipeg
WINNIPEG — A $4.5 million renovation has breathed new life into the Holiday Inn Winnipeg South, modernizing and brightening the property’s guestrooms, function rooms, public spaces and restaurant.

CBVI adding properties in Calgary & Vernon, B.C.
CLEVELAND, OHIO — Vantage Hotels announced on March 15 that it has increased Canadas Best Value Inn’s Western Canadian presence by adding properties in Calgary and Vernon, B.C.

Sheraton Vancouver Airport unveils new ballroom
RICHMOND, B.C. — Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel announced on Feb. 24 that it has debuted the Britannia Ballroom, the centerpiece of the newly built 18,000-square-foot conference centre.

Days Inn Conference Centre puts Winkler on the map
WINKLER, Man. – George Klassen of George K Catering, who has had his own catering business for more than 18 years and is well-known in the community, will be running Days Inn & Suites - Winkler’s newly-built first-class conference facility.

Wingate by Wyndham opens at Calgary Airport
CALGARY — Wyndham Hotel Group announced in mid-November the opening of the Wingate by Wyndham Calgary Airport, which boasts a location minutes from Calgary International Airport and offers easy access to both the TransCanada Highway and Highway 2.

Thinking inside the box in Bruderheim, Alta.
BRUDERHEIM, Alta. — A hotel project in Bruderheim, Alta. is not only answering the call for more hospitality options in the 1,100-person town, but answering it with a modern twist.

New Holiday Inn Express in Victoria, B.C., debuts new design
VICTORIA, B.C. — The 80-room Holiday Inn Express Victoria-Colwood opened in Victoria, B.C., following a $10 million investment by ownership.

Geoff Ballotti addresses upbeat Travelodge Canada conference
KELOWNA — Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group, was part of a lively panel that looked what's happened at Travelodge Canada since Superior Lodging Corp. took over last spring.

Renovated Days Inn hotels open in Terrace, B.C. and Vermilion, Alta.
TORONTO — Realstar Hospitality continues to grow the Days Inn brand and announced on July 22 the opening of two newly renovated franchise locations in Terrace, B.C. and Vermilion, Alta.

Days Inn opens in Montreal East today
TORONTO — Realstar Hospitality is opening a Days Inn in Montreal East today, and earlier announced groundbreaking for a Days Inn & Suites in Warman, Sask., and an opening in Lindsay, Ont.

Drayton Valley among eight new 2014 BW properties
PHOENIX, Ariz. — Best Western Plus Executive Residency Drayton Valley, Alta. all-suites hotel is among the eight properties Best Western opened in Canada this past year.

Atlific’s management contracts and reno
TORONTO — Atlific Hotels announced on Feb. 19 that it will manage the brand new, 169-room Element Vancouver Metrotown, the second Canadian location of Starwood’s extended-stay brand and the first to open in Western Canada.

Fairfield Calgary gets Taqueria and Beltliner
CALGARY — Calgary restaurateurs Brendan Bankowski and Cody Willis plan to open eateries in the Fairfield Inn & Suites Calgary Downtown, which is expected to launch in late spring in a refurbished former apartment building.

Realstar's dozen developments in 2014
Realstar Hospitality added 875 rooms and 12 hotels to its porfolio during 2014 in what the company calls "an unprecedented year for conversion and new construction growth."

Microtel breaks ground in Bonnyville, AB
CALGARY—A groundbreaking took place on Dec. 10 in Bonnyville, AB to launch construction of a new build, 87-room Microtel Inn & Suites planned for the east-central Alberta city.

Vantage vows increased focus on Canada
LAS VEGAS—Bill Hanley of Vantage Hospitality says the company will focus on development in the Prairie provinces and Atlantic Canada in the coming year. He added that Vantage's Country Hearth could be a good fit here.

Holiday Inn Express launches in Spruce Grove, AB
SPRUCE GROVE, AB—InterContinental Hotels Group announced in September the opening of a Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in Spruce Grove, AB following an $18 million investment by the ownership group.

New restaurant for Inn at The Forks
Alex Svenne is the new executive chef at Winnipeg’s Inn at The Forks, where he will be responsible for all culinary operations and a new casual fine dining restaurant slated to open in early September.

Knights Inn flag now flies in Alberta with two new hotels
The Knights Inn flag will now be flying in the province of Alberta, with the signing of two locations, the RoadRunner Motel in Edmonton and the Central Suite Hotel in Lloydminster.

Travelodge Slave Lake Joins Travelodge Canada
SLAVE LAKE, AB—Travelodge Canada has announced the opening of the Travelodge Slave Lake, Alberta. The newest member of the Travelodge Canada franchise system, the former Northwest Inn is owned by Holloway Lodging Corp.

Microtel Blackfalds opens in a blizzard
BLACKFALDS, AB—The Microtel Inn & Suites located in Blackfalds, AB, opened last month in the midst of one of Alberta’s biggest blizzards. And another Microtel opened last week in Weyburn, SK.

Emerald Park gets first Sleep Inn in 13 years
EMERALD PARK, SK—Emerald Park, just east of Regina, is now home to Canada’s newest Sleep Inn, the first one in Western Canada. The brand, which entered Canada in 1996, has two other locations in Ontario.

Back to the farm for the revamped Regina Inn
REGINA—Wild Sage Kitchen and Bar opened Nov. 5 in the new SilverBirch DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre, as part of a $35-million renovation of the Regina Inn.

Fortis converts Greenwood to Best Western
Fortis Properties Corporation announced last month that it will convert the former Greenwood Inn and Suites Winnipeg to Best Western Plus Winnipeg Airport. Read about this and other recent Openings, Sales and Renovations.

Former hospital now lodging for oil and gas industry
POUCE COUPE, BC––When the idea for Peace Energy Lodge first came about, hotels in nearby Dawson Creek could barely keep up with the number of rooms needed for the influx of workers coming to town for oil and gas development.

$535-million urban resort features two Marriott hotels
The developers of a Vancouver hotel and entertainment complex say they are bringing a “new, world class urban resort” to the city when the project opens in 2016.

Delta tops off Toronto and plans Prince George
Delta Hotels and Resorts marked the completion of the 46th floor of the Toronto flagship and announced a $35-million project in Prince George, BC in October.

Inn at the Forks to manage museum eatery
WINNIPEG—The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) will feature an on-site restaurant dedicated to serving local foods and following human rights principles such as fair trade sourcing and sustainability.

Hotel Elan offers impressive functionality
CALGARY—Two years ago, it was an apartment building. But renovations began in August 2011, and on June 9, the first hotel guests moved into the 62-suite Hotel Elan, property number 100 in Choice Hotels’ Ascend Collection.

Best Western opens Prestige Inn in Radium Hot Springs, BC
RADIUM HOT SPRINGS, BC—The Best Western Plus Prestige Inn Radium Hot Springs is located at the crossroads of Highways 93 and 95, in a panoramic mountain setting at the edge of Kootenay National Park and the world-famous therapeutic Radium Hot Springs po

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

Fourteen years ago, Canadian Lodging News emerged on the Canadian scene, quickly developing a reputation for timely accurate news delivered with impact. After a brief hiatus, CLN is back. We are now online only, offering an electronic newsletter 22 times per year on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, a website that is constantly updated and a pervasive social media presence. More news and more of the sections readers enjoy — but faster delivery to a targeted, committed hotel industry audience.